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Outdoor Curtains

Beautiful Sheer Curtains Make Nice Porch Enclosures

We've been noticing porches in some neighborhoods in Middle Tennessee using outdoor curtains.

Very inviting, don't you think? We'll have to drive around and snap a few photos for you.

Make Your Porch Extra Special

Porch curtains and outdoor drapes are a great idea for creating a porch enclosure or just to soften the look of your porch. Drapes and silky sheer curtains add immense ambiance and curb appeal to your porch.

Courtesy of Perfect Porches
Alluring porch curtains!

This photo was taken at Brown Woods Farm in Lexington, KY and is included in the beautiful book, Perfect Porches.

Notice the wispy curtains. I love how they make you just want to sit down and enjoy this wonderful outdoor space. The pretty summer flowers and basket of apples oh so nice.

Look at These Porch Curtains!

We found these at Plow and Hearth . Each picture is clickable. Next time we have an open porch, guess what we're going to get? Outdoor curtains. Yes, I love the look of these.

"I love the way they gently blow in the breeze.

"When we added curtains to our porch, I was surprised at how much more cozy it feels. I love the soft feeling our porch has now."

Enjoy the outdoor grommet drape video

You can find these outdoor grommet curtains here.

Why Curtains on the Porch?

"These curtains are light and breezy. They make me feel like I live at the beach.

They add a touch of soft, billowy elegance to your porch.

Give you lots of flexibility - you simply slide them out of the way and even remove them when not needed.
Less expensive than permanent porch blinds or shades.
Fun to decorate with them. You can even hide areas with them.
Create a privacy nook on your porch while leaving the rest of your porch open.
Filter the bright sun light and heat.

About Outdoor Fabric

"Outdoor curtains add a soft touch to my porch and
take the summer heat down a notch."

Outdoor fabrics tend to be fade resistant and mildew resistant. Also, since outdoor fabrics flap in the wind, you want fabric that is durable and resistant to tearing and fraying. So, here are some ideas for you.

To protect your porch furniture use all-weather knit fabric that blocks up to 90% of the sun’s UV rays yet allows air to flow through. This "breathing” effect reduces temperatures behind the shades up to 32% when compared with direct sunlight.

Use rip nylon - like the kind you find in outdoor banners and flags.

Use muslin or other sheer fabrics that dry quickly like the light and airy curtains shown here.
Use Sunbrella fabrics for durability, mildew-resistance and best of all a bunch of beautiful, vivid solid colors and patterns.
You can sometimes find outdoor fabric on the "cheap tables" at Walmart - for those stores that still carry fabric.

Another suggestion is to use bed sheets. Yes, they dry quickly and you can find pretty patterns and colors. If you need them to be longer, you can add borders from a coordinating sheet.

I have heard of some porches having chic shower curtains (the fabric kind). At first that might seem odd, but think about how many patterns they come in now. For example, a shower curtain with palm trees could be very attractive on a tropical porch.

Colors should be color fast as they will fade in the sun.

Beautiful outdoor curtain panels take your porch or outdoor room from ordinary to extraordinary. UV resistant, water repellent, porch curtains resist fading and staining.

Pair outdoor drapes with sheers for a great look. And add outdoor pillows to match!

How to Hang Outdoor Porch Curtains

There are many styles and attachment methods available. You can actually affix the curtains directly to your porch, use Velcro tabs, grommets, or rods and tracks to easily move them out of the way when not needed.

Hang porch curtains and outdoor drapes quickly with versatile tension rods. They snap into place between porch beams or walls with no hardware making installation a snap. These holders also come with a joiner so you can attach two or more together for longer expanses.

How to Make Your Own Porch Curtains

Learn to make curtains like these

If you're the do-it-yourself kind of person who enjoys making your own stuff, then we think you will love this tutorial we have for you about making your own outdoor curtain panels from regular canvas drop cloths you buy at home improvement stores.

They are super easy, attractive and affordable. We learned this idea from Traci, who is the author of Beneath My Heart.

Other Porch Enclosure & Shade Options

Porch Blinds and Shades You'll enjoy your porch more in the summer heat, if you have some shade. If you need strong protection from summer heat, then shades or blinds may be more suitable than outdoor curtains.

Ezebreeze Screen Porch Windows A do-it-yourself solution that we personally love. Makes it easy to enclose your porch, deck and even your garage.

Mosquito Curtains An easy way to enclose your porch, deck, or patio without the expense of screening your porch

Screen Porch Awnings A simple and inexpensive way to convert an awning into a screen porch

Screened Porch Kits From standard packages to custom-made, DIY porch enclosure kits are great for adding space and prolonging your outdoor enjoyment

NanaWall ® For sophisticated homes, open wall systems give you many options.